American Liberty At The Crossroads: Do We Sit By And Watch Or Do We Show Up And Fight?

America’s systemic reaction to the unspeakable horror of the 9/11 attacks was to “protect” ourselves by planting the seeds for a police state that will eventually strangle the freedom that we grew up cherishing. Each incremental step toward tyranny seem so “logical” and so “justified” to the minds of the statist Powers That Be…

By: James Wesley Rawles

The citizenry, mimicking the Germans of the 1930s passively goes along with each of these baby steps, never quite chafing to the point of outright rebellion. The end result is a society that has made itself voluntarily monitored 24/7, agreed to centralized background checks just to exercise a Constitutional right, that has agreed to being either fondled or x-rayed by blue glove-wearing half-wits at airports. With our own tax dollars (annually self-assessed, of course) we have equipped an army of steroid-pumped henchmen who are ready, willing, and able to not just Taser us at the slightest sign of noncompliance, but even willing to arrest and drag us to a hospital for multiple rectal examinations because of the mere suspicion that we “might be hiding something.”

Unless we individually and collectively develop some backbone, right quick, then it will be too late. The chains will be too solidly forged. The web of surveillance will be too complete. And the cross-correlated list of malcontents will be small and easy to round up. Unless we get active politically and forcefully stand up to tyranny, then we’ll become outnumbered.

Here it is folks, the challenge for our generation, most likely to be answered in this decade: The next time there is another Ruby Ridge or Waco-style “standoff” with “extremists”, We The People will have two choices: We can passively sit by, watch it all on high definition television, wringing our hands and just muttering “That’s so awful.” Or, will enough of us grab our gear and drive there and set up a perimeter around their perimeter. Once in place, we’ll show some backbone and take photos, take video, take names, and if need be be prepared to take lives. The choice is yours, America. Are you going to show up to the event and do what is right, or are you going to let the ninja-jackboot-thugs simply haul us off to the gulag one by one?

I’ll leave you with another quote from the brilliant mind of Benjamin Franklin: “We must hang together, gentlemen…else, we shall most assuredly hang separately.”

– J.W.R.

Although most preppers are well aware of Jim’s work, Jim Rawles of SurvivalBlog.com is a survivalist author and former U.S. Army Intelligence officer.

27 Comments

It sounds great to show up and fight, but it’s just not worth. You aren’t going to compete with drones and tanks. I hate what is happening as much has anyone, but unless you have power comparable to Jesus or Elijah, you don’t have a chance. There are alternatives to fighting. I’m not willing to sacrifice my life just to prove I am. The country’s hatred toward God is the cause of all the problems, and that’s not going to change by fighting with guns. Hopefully the rapture will happen before it gets too bad.

Yet another internet badass. You’ll be the first to bow down to authorities. Why do you fail to discuss the points instead of acting like a brat teenager? I’m sure you’re bad enough to take on drones, nukes, and F-22 Raptors. Most are not. Competing with F-22s aint crop dusting boy.

Chris, A last stand scenario is just that – a worst case absolutely last resort which should never have to happen if more people would develop a backbone and stop this tyranny before it reaches a horrible turning point. I read his article and took away from it that more people need to take action, and take action now by making their voices heard. There is one more election coming up in 2014 which could slow this tyrannical train down. He did describe a Ruby Ridge type event in the article but I think that is an example of having failed to change events and what could happen because of it. If it did ever get to that point then yes we will all be facing life changing choices. To sit back and watch or to do something about it.

I hear this comparison all the time and to be fair, the scale of technological advantage between the two time periods is astronomical. Those farmers had nearly the same rifles as the army and navy. There were no drones, tanks, precision guided smart bombs, satellites, etc, etc. The gap in power between any “militia” and the US military would lead to a slaughter in today’s time. The only way things change is if the military stands up for liberty or they sit out all together.

The colonists had better weapons than the average British soldier, long rifles against muskets. The rifles had a range of maybe 300 meters in expert hands while the muskets were smooth bores and were lucky to hit a individual target at 75 yards. Muskets were only good against massed formations of troops. The colonists also liked to fight from behind cover while the British fought in lines out in the open. Many colonists were veterans of the French and Indian war and were skilled in fighting in wooded areas. Those early Americans were a lot tougher then the average American of today.

Not to belittle anyone who was there and fought Chris but I seem to remember a little country in Southeast Asia that took on those same odds and that same group of people we are talking about decided it wasn’t worth it and went home.

Fight smarter, not harder. There are many different ways to affect the outcome of a fight, most not being a full frontal assault. Waiting to be bailed out by the mythical sky father is the easy way out, if you don’t want to stand to defend what is yours then you may want to explore rapturing yourself before things get a little messy and all you do is get in the way.

What gets me is the fact that this has clearly been another time in history when people should have Already Stood Up and said Hell No but, don’t have the guts to pull their heads out of “wherever” and demand their rights not be infringed upon. I mean, really… look at all the Executive Orders Obama signed; social terrorism, Martial Law, undetermined detention, PLUS countless others that all spell trouble, BIG trouble for the citizens of this country. Anyone can be carted away and locked up for as long as “they’ see fit. If people think about it logically and without so much fear, they would realize that the number of citizens is far greater than the gov’t officials on All Levels~ Strength in numbers sound familiar? Anyone who chooses to Not stand up to defend their families their land, their vehicles cattle, horses, their food (yes, that too since Executive Order whatever number, says the gov’t can come in and take whatever they want), anyway, those who do not defend are already headed for the Internment/FEMA Camps. T?here are many groups uniting across the country, who are either checking out safe places to form little off grid communities or already have them set up with supplies, ready to bug out. I’m one of them. I’m heading for the mountains with my group, no Internment Camp for us. Defend til the end.

Remember that 3% of fighting age men and women fought against the British in 1776 and won! Even in that day there were guerrilla attacks against an advisary that was supposed to be the best standing military in the world,but a small number of military trained officers and mostly farmers fought against this military and won.Now years in the future this country was involved in a war in a Southeast Asian country,that was considered Third world,and this country fought us in a guerrilla war that they ultimately won.As for nowadays,there are a lot of soldiers,and a lot of members of law enforcement that are against what the central government is doing,and these citizens will stand with the rest of the patriots when the 2nd starts,so don’t bring up the cowards way of backing out by saying that they have too much firepower for us to make a difference,because can’t never could.Be prepared and ready.Keep your powder dry.

Being involved for many years since the early 90s in the militia movement. Major problems with most of them. Everybody wants to lead and not serve. Lots of disorganization. Infiltration though out. There are many Judas within. No humility and much arrogance.
Where are many of the leaders from 20yrs ago? They advocate survival and let it passover as the big boys duke it out. You won’t see these guys on TV or spouting rhetoric on the internet.
Jesus the greatest commander of the universe stated for his army to flee to the hills when the Romans came and destroyed Jerusalem as judgment on those people. Likewise today keep in remembrance the Master Commander and look for those signs for which he commands His army. Let no man deceive you. Prepare your house ahead in those places he has set for you. Much judgment upon this land and how few will there be. His Kingdom come and His will be done as the Kingdoms of man and beast fall and become His! Hail Victory!

I can’t help throw in a shameless plug here folks. My fictional novel, All We Like Sheep, outlines a plan to capture members of the US Congress, and to take control of the capital cities of each state.

All of this is lead by none other than the Founding Fathers themselves!

@Chris..not sure if this has been said or not…take a look back in just recent history…Vietnam…Afghanistan..both with the Russians and Americans…look at Iraq…in the mean time…maybe you could try and find your balls before TSHTF.

It only take 10% of the people

And the most important thing is this…When it is nut cuttin time people will rise up and not fear death…our fight is honorable and just..they would be fighting for our way of life and freedoms that no one in the history of the world has had or will ever have again.

I hope that it will never to come to that…unfortunately, history proves otherwise.

I’m ready, I will be watching, and if it is in my state, I will arrive. Tanks and drones oh my. I do not fear them. I do not fear what man can do to me but I do fear the one that has my forever in his hands. Like they would drone us or attack a group with their own men in the situation. Maybe, but at least I would not be the only one dying that day. They may die due to the outcome, But I will die defending my freedom. Rather Die on my feet then live on my knees before anyone other than my God. And no, I am not religious; I am a God fearing child of his. Religion can take a long walk of a short pier…

Mr. Rawles is right. Either you get on the truck going to the re-education camp or you say “no more”. Someone brought it up that they would wait for the Rapture. God helps those who help themselves. Sitting on the side lines is not helping.

This is not going to be a head to head organized war, it’ll be composed of “armys of one”. Organize? With the NSA tapped into every phone and network connection, it’d be a sure death. Millions of “armies of one”. You can’t testify against yourself, nor can you plea bargain away an accomplice you don’t have. To plan and organize with others is conspiracy. The weakest link is the other person or persons.

There’s a book that was published in the 90’s called “Unintended Consequences”. read that and you’ll get my drift.

Decentralization will be key on this. The feds do not have time to run around attempting to catch and disseminate intel to LEO’s on every single possible opponent. When you have millions of random opponents running around doing their own thing with the common goal of reducing government size literally, it’ll make them crazy that they have no control over it. Do read the book I’ve mentioned, you’ll get the idea.

Thanks dvldog2531,
My novel, All We Like Sheep, while fictional, is an effort to encourage people to think about the tough issues while leading them through a storyline woven with threads of crime drama, sci-fi, and historical fiction.
The notion that the Founding Fathers could come back to lead a Second American Revolution may be far-fetched, but my hope is that folks will see beyond the fiction, and process our current situation through the mindset of those early patriots.

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